A new primer jointly produced by the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) and the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) addresses core issues for developing renewable energy sources on or around military ranges, airspace and installations. The guidelines are intended to help developers better evaluate solar and wind projects and avoid potential conflicts with military operations or sensitive environmental areas.

The new renewables siting considerations were developed in concert with the Renewable Energy and Defense (READ) Database, a GIS tool NRDC created that combines geospatial data on DOD installations, military flight training routes, radar and other information, along with data on environmentally sensitive areas, national monuments and other protected lands.

"Our highest priority is military readiness, and we’re working hard to mitigate or avoid any potential mission impacts," says Frank DiGiovanni, director for force readiness and training, Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Readiness, in a statement. "We're also committed to reducing uncertainty for the renewable energy industry through early engagement and outreach. This document gives clear direction for the many intersecting interests involved in developing solar, wind and other renewables on and around military ranges, airspace and installations."

The DOD has a target of deploying 3 GW of renewable energy on military installations and obtaining 25% of its total power requirements from independent renewable sources by 2025.